Up next in our shaving brush review series is the Shaveway 100% original pure badger shaving brush.
Shaveway is an interesting wet shaving company that kind of flies under the radar. To my knowledge, they only make 2 products: a shaving brush and a razor/brush stand. But those 2 products are very highly regarded by its users.
When it comes to their shaving brush, it’s very similar to other “entry-level” brushes like the Escali and Perfecto. It’s made with pure badger hair. It has a wooden handle. It’s cheap.
So what, if anything, distinguishes the Shaveway pure badger shaving brush from the others? Let’s find out.
Pros
- High quality but cheap pure badger shaving brush
- Stiff bristles exfoliate skin
- Very good water retention when compared to other pure badger brushes
- Excellent brush for beginner wet shavers
Cons
- Pure badger hair bristles aren’t as soft as synthetic or silvertip
Product Overview & Specs
- 100% pure badger hair bristles
- Bulb shaped head
- Wood handle
- Handle available in 2 colors: beige or black
- Brush/razor stand not included
Key Features
Made With Highest Quality Pure Badger Hair Bristles
When it comes to shaving brushes, there are different levels of quality. Silvertip are considered the best, followed by best badger while pure badger are considered entry level quality.
However, there’s definitely different levels of quality and performance between pure badger brushes as well. How so? Well they aren’t a homogenous product so not all pure badger bristles are the same quality.
The Shaveway pure badger brush has some of the best pure badger bristles I have found. They are softer than most other pure badger brushes and do an excellent job of retaining water for a lather. In fact, I think the feel and performance of these bristles is actually closer to that of other best badger brushes rather than other pure badger brushes.
Cheap, But Durable and Dependable
The Shaveway 100% pure badger brush isn’t the cheapest option out there, but it’s really close. Unfortunately, the problem associated with buying something “cheap” is that it’s probably not high quality and might break or fall apart quickly.
Well I’m happy to say that’s certainly not the case with this brush. It is incredibly durable, dependable and well made. Usually a cheaper brush will consistently lose bristles at a pretty rapid rate. But I haven’t noticed this with my Shaveway. Yes, I lost a few when I first started using it but that stopped after a few shaves. It’s rare I lose a bristle now.
In my opinion, this is probably the most durable of the cheap pure badger hair shaving brushes. Now I have heard a few fellow wet shavers that have the black handle option say the paint sometimes chips off. But I got the “beige” natural wood handle though so I can’t really speak to that problem.
Overall though, the Shaveway pure badger brush is just an incredibly well made and durable shaving brush for this price range.
Excellent Option For Beginner Wet Shavers
I pretty much always recommend beginners start off with a pure badger shaving brush for their first shaving brush. Even if you are willing to spend more money and get a premium brush right off the bat, I still recommend starting off with one of the more affordable pure badger shaving brushes. Why?
Because it takes some time and practice to learn how to use a shaving brush. It might seem really easy, but it’s going to take you a while to really learn how to load a brush and lather and apply.
And once you learn how to do it with a pure badger hair brush, then you can move on to a premium brush. Believe me, you’re going to appreciate a soft silvertip or synthetic brush much more if you start with an entry-level pure badger because you will have a point of reference on why silvertips are considered so superior.
Good Weight and Size
The overall size and weight of Shaveway’s pure badger brush is really good. The handle is the classic bulb shape with a solid circular base so it’s really easy to grip. Likewise, the weight distribution is really good too. You don’t need a shaving brush to be heavy, but having a little bit of weight to it does allow you to lather your face easier in my opinion. Overall, just a very nice design.
Who Do We Recommend The Shaveway Pure Badger Shaving Brush For?
As I said earlier, the Shaveway 100% pure badger shaving brush is a really excellent option for beginners. It’s in the entry-level price range, but I think its overall quality and construction are better than most other entry-level brushes.
The Shaveway pure badger is also a really good option if you really don’t want to spend much money on a shaving brush. It may not be as soft as a silvertip or a synthetic, but it will definitely get the job done at a fraction of the price of those.
Lastly, I like recommending the Shaveway as a good travel brush option. It’s cheap enough so you won’t feel guilty about just leaving it in your dopp kit so there’s no need to have to pack your shaving brush when you’re packing for a trip. But it’s still high enough quality that it won’t feel like you’re using a cheap brush.
What Are Some Other Shaving Brushes To Consider?
Escali Pure Badger Shaving Brush
The Escali pure badger shaving brush is another great pure badger shaving brush. It is very, very similar to Shaveway’s.
It is also made with really high quality pure badger shaving hair. The handle is also wood, but I think it is a little more narrow than most other shaving brushes. It’s not a noticeable difference though and it’s still really easy to hold and lather with.
The Escali shaving brush is probably the most bought shaving brush on the market right now. It’s also happens to be one of the most highly regarded because of it’s great performance at such a cheap price.
Vikings Blade Luxury Synthetic Shaving Brush
Looking for something a little more premium than a pure badger brush but not ready to invest in a silvertip? Then take a closer look at the Vikings Blade synthetic shaving brush.
This is one of my favorite brushes out there. It’s softness rivals that of silvertip brushes and it retains water incredibly well. You’re going to have to spend a little more money to buy the Vikings Blade synthetic brush, but I really think it is one of the best bang for your buck shaving brushes out there. I’m really impressed with everything Vikings Blade is doing in the wet shaving industry.
Parker Silvertip Shaving Brush
If you’re looking for a silvertip, my recommendation is Parker’s silvertip shaving brush. It is definitely in the premium price range, but it’s on the lower end of cost when it comes to silvertip brushes.
When it comes to performance, this brush is as good as it gets. The biggest selling point is the incredibly soft bristles. Yes, they also retain a ridiculous amount of water, but I don’t think most wet shavers would really be able to tell a difference between the water retention of a pure badger and a silvertip. Both can deliver a really good, quality lather.
So if you decide you want the best of the best and have the money for it, the Parker silvertip is my recommendation.
Not sure you any of these is the shaving brush you want to buy? Then go read my review guide of what I think are the best shaving brushes on the market right now. It has all the information you need to find the right shaving brush in your budget.
